Thursday, December 19, 2013

We're approaching our first holiday with Dash, and it's been a lot of fun even though it's been kind of difficult at the Raymond Compound as of late. My mother was admitted to a nursing home for a respite stay that might end up being something more substantial than that, but, as of writing, it means that we don't know what's going on and it becomes a waiting game. Prior to this respite stay, though, she was really difficult, and, to be frank, it makes it hard to enjoy the holidays. We're a week away from Christmas and it barely feels like it at all.

Thankfully, we have Dash.

Dash has embraced Christmas like any baby would. We put him in ridiculous outfits, he's ridiculously cute in them (as seen above), and we pretty much exploit him for our own personal gain. He's in love with the Christmas tree, especially the lights. At our family Christmas party, there was a singing centerpiece that confuses and enthralls him all at once. He even got to open his first Christmas gift!

Sadly for us, he was much more interested in the plasticware.

Dash will be nine months old this weekend, and the time really does fly. He's not crawling yet, but he really wants to, but the fact that he can lift himself to a standing position and wants to walk around with us constantly is almost certainly holding him back. He's more interactive by the day - he does this weird Shakespearean hand motion a lot where it's as if he's doing a monologue with a skull, and he learned how to clap, which is a constant source of amusement for us (especially when he applauds toilet flushes). He's also still not sleeping - we're on 6 straight months now where he hasn't slept more than three hours in a given chunk, and we're choosing to chalk it up to the fact that he's had 5 teeth come through over that time with more still coming. We might be in denial, but I'm to understand that it's what parenting is all about.

He also eats better and better every day. Loves mashed potatoes and avacado, kind of iffy on pasta and rice. We're trying to make it more of a habit for the three of us to eat together, and it's really shown in regards to Dash's interest in food. I'm really interested in trying to model a lot of things better for him now that he's becoming more aware, but it's hard when you're dealing with a lot of mental health issues that go along with uncertainty with your mother's condition. But I'm trying.

One thing he's not into, though? Snow, or at least his snowsuit:

At the end of the day, he's worth it. He was always worth it, but he becomes more and more worth it every day. When he starts laughing at new things, when he starts noticing more things around, he becomes more fun. Ann is horrified about Dash's impending mobility, but how can you not be charmed when he finds a random gate and starts banging it maniacally against the metal leg of the desk?

It's hard not to love a kid like this. He's really become the bright spot in our lives, and to think he'll be talking soon and walking sooner and all sorts of craziness is coming down the pike? Time flies, man. Time flies.